Foreword

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you once again to Angles, the online magazine of exemplary writing by students enrolled in an introductory writing subject at MIT. This is our second edition of the magazine, whose inaugural edition was published in 2008. The pieces featured in this second edition were written during the 2008-2009 academic year.

MIT's introductory writing subjects are open to all students and all levels of ability. Some students are asked to take one of the introductory writing subjects, having been determined to need an intensive writing course at the beginning of their college career, one in which they plan, draft, get feedback, and then revise every major writing assignment of the semester. Others elect to take one of these classes because they recognize the importance of writing to their future success and want the experience of an intensive writing course. The curriculum consists of four subjects: 21W.730, Writing on Contemporary Issues; 21W.731, Writing and Experience; 21W.732, Science Writing and New Media (formerly Introduction to Scientific and Technical Communication); and 21W.734, Writing about Literature. Each section has a specific thematic focus and particular reading and writing assignments. You can learn more about the introductory writing classes on the website of the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies: http://humanistic.mit.edu/.

We want once again especially to thank the Alumni Class Funds for the grant awarded us from their Funds for Teaching and Education Enhancement. We received the grant in 2008, and had enough funds left from producing our first edition to continue with this year's edition. Without the Alumni Class Funds grant, Angles would not exist. We want to give special thanks this year to Maya Jhangiani, Administrative Assistant in the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, who created the site and uploaded the material for this edition. Shannon Larkin, Graduate Administrator in PWHS, provided Maya with important assistance. Magdalena Rieb, Administrative Officer for PWHS, gave us welcome support throughout the project. Special thanks go also to Jessica Lin, our student editorial assistant (and one of the writers whose work is included in the magazine), and to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, which funded Jessica's work for the summer. Andrea Walsh served ably as this year's editor and worked tirelessly to make this edition a reality. Our gratitude goes to the teachers who served on the committee to choose what would be published in this edition, and to teachers in the first year writing program who encouraged their students to submit work for consideration. Thanks also to Professor James Paradis, Head of the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, for additional funding and for his continuing support and encouragement.

Finally, our sincere thanks to the students in the introductory writing sections in fall 2008 and spring 2009-nearly fifty of them-who submitted their writing for our consideration. And congratulations to the students whose work was selected; they can be justifiably proud of having their work chosen for publication, and we are happy to acknowledge their achievement.

And now, we invite you to read their writing in Angles 2009, and we very much hope you enjoy this year's magazine.